Acacia aphylla — Leafless Rock Wattle ‘Twisted Desert Wattle’ or ‘Live Wire ’
Leafless Rock Wattle’, ‘Twisted Desert Wattle’, ‘Live Wire ’ Erect many-branching shrub from approximately 1 metre in diameter to over 2 metres in height. Twisted, leafless stems have a blue grey waxy coating. Golden yellow flowers are produced from winter to spring (each spherical flower head is composed of a mass of smaller flowers). Some wattles that have evolved in harsh drier environments are characterised by overall short size, reduced leaf size and leaf surface area. In case of Acacia aphylla, seedlings start out growing typical Acacia leaves which are soon shed after dry conditions, then the plant continues to grow stems as a totally leafless wattle, hence its name ‘aphylla’ which means without leaves. Thickened blue-green wiry stems, with the ability to photosynthesize like leaves are an evolutionary adaptation that greatly reduces the surface area for water loss through transpiration.
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Photo credit: © Doug Steley A / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: acacia, aphylla, australia, australian, conditions, desert, dry, leafless, live, plant, rock, twisted, water, wattle, wire
